Buck and Towers
by Sandra M. Apel
For those of you who may be familiar with Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge you need not read the description below:
Prior to becoming a Refuge, Plains Indians followed large herds of bison and lived off the land. Later, as settlers moved westthey began growing crops and grazing cattle. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Army transformed the area into a chemical weapons manufacturing facility called the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to support World War II. As production declined at war's end, a portion of the idle facilities were leased to Shell Chemical Co. for the production of agricultural chemicals. The Arsenal was later used for Cold-War weapons production and demilitarization. In the early 1980s, the Army and Shell began an extensive environmental cleanup under the oversight of federal, state, and local regulatory agencies
Congress designated the site as a national wildlife refuge in 1992. In the mid-1990s, public-private partnership formed among the U.S. Army, Shell Oil Co., and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As cleanup progressed and projects met federal and state regulatory requirements, the Army transferred land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish and expand the Refuge. The Arsenal’s cleanup program was completed in 2010 and the Refuge has reached its final size of 15,000 acres making it one of the largest urban refuge's in the country.
This photag was taken late fall 2014...a reminder still of the urban/wildlife tension.
Nikon D300 80-400 4.5-5.6 VR HH, FL 340, ISO 500,1/1000 A 7.1,
Thanks for your time and I welcome all comments & critique
Comments
4 commentsThe antlers sticking up in the view enough to provide a layer in direct contrast with the electrical power grid towers in the background makes the scene IMO. I really like the juxtaposition of the two. I also think the angle of view with the deer peering through the natural foliage adds to the entire impact of the scene with a feeling of living on the "edge".
Congratulations on your image being selected for the WP in this gallery.
Hey Sandra,
Outstanding Image that more than demonstrates the ongoing Urban / Wildlife tension mentioned in your very informative and well written commentary. The composition has perfect placement of all the key elements and the POV of the Buck gazing from his territory into the adjoining industrialized area could not express the tragedy of habitat loss any better.
You have to applaud the efforts now being made by the decision makers to try and reclaim this area to the natural environment that once saw the Indians and the Bison living in harmony with respect for the natural resources that provided for their way of life. Only time will tell however if these efforts are just a classic case of 'To Little, To Late'.
Congratulations on the well deserved WP . . .